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[VXL V6]

Symptoms are:-

Hot air through vents regardless of climate setting. Compressor spinning constantly so there must be at least minimal gas in the system otherwise it would shut down.

Turn off the aircon (Eco) and cooler outside air enters the cabin - cooler than the aircon which apparently has at least minimal gas....   

I was wondering if the HBV valve may be stuck. It's definitely not leaking... Help...

[jonny2112]

Similar symptoms to mine - replaced the pressure valve on the upper pipe and it was sorted 
Well, for a month anyway, though I suspect another problem will be discovered when I take it back.

[TheBoy]

Parked facing a major fire?


Are the AC pipes getting condensation on them, indicating they are cooling down?

May also be worth manually connecting a vac pipe to top of HBV and sucking, you should hear it move I would have thought.

Check Vac with finger on the top of HBV - should be a vac when climate set low with AC on, and no vac with heating set high.


And ignore my dark humour on the first line 

[VXL V6]

No condensation on pipes.

Need to check the rest.

[05omegav6]

No condensation = no worky

[dbug]

No gas=No worky

[VXL V6]

No gas=No worky

Enough Gas for the compressor to spin though   

Definitely had Omega's where the gas was low but it still pushed cooler air through the vents.... Not hotter air than outside!

I'll get it re-gassed anyway but no leaks have been detected on the system before and the Aircon specialist I use is trustworthy.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Are the water pipes on the bypass valve connected the right way round?

[pscocoa]

occasionally mine blows hot air from one side (of the dual controls) when set at say 20 degrees - turn both lower and it balances out and cools. another strange Omega happening that I ignore until it repeats itself at an unpredicatable date in the future.

[terry paget]

Fascinating thread. I have a 2.5 doing exactly what VXL V6 describes. I imagined it was the way old cars go. Silly me. I also have concluded that once aircon fails, regassing does not last very long, anyway it never gets very warm here, does it, so it does not matter.

Now I learn it could be a fault that could be rectified! A few questions.
Should the metal pipes at the front of the engine be hot or cold?
Where is the vacuum to the HBV switched? I am now looking at a 2.2; vacuum seems to come up from inlet manifold to brake servo, with a side branch to HBV.

Sorry to be so naive. If there is a maintenance guide please point me to it.

[henryd]

Fascinating thread. I have a 2.5 doing exactly what VXL V6 describes. I imagined it was the way old cars go. Silly me. I also have concluded that once aircon fails, regassing does not last very long, anyway it never gets very warm here, does it, so it does not matter.

Now I learn it could be a fault that could be rectified! A few questions.
Should the metal pipes at the front of the engine be hot or cold?
Where is the vacuum to the HBV switched? I am now looking at a 2.2; vacuum seems to come up from inlet manifold to brake servo, with a side branch to HBV.

Sorry to be so naive. If there is a maintenance guide please point me to it.

It does if there aren't any leaks

[VXL V6]

Are the water pipes on the bypass valve connected the right way round?

Yes, they haven't moved. From memory top one goes via long pipe to electric 'pump' under expansion tank, bottom one goes back to cabin and r/h one goes to coolant bridge.

Speaking to the local Aircon Specialist I use, he said that it's more than likely the gas level, the increased heat is because the air is channeled over what is now a hot matrix (Presumably the heater / drier?).

Car booked in for next available appointment.

Many thanks to all 

[dbug]

Are the water pipes on the bypass valve connected the right way round?

Yes, they haven't moved. From memory top one goes via long pipe to electric 'pump' under expansion tank, bottom one goes back to cabin and r/h one goes to coolant bridge.

Speaking to the local Aircon Specialist I use, he said that it's more than likely the gas level, the increased heat is because the air is channeled over what is now a hot matrix (Presumably the heater / drier?).

Car booked in for next available appointment.

Many thanks to all 

Enough Gas for the compressor to spin though   

But not enough to work the air con though 

[VXL V6]

Are the water pipes on the bypass valve connected the right way round?

Yes, they haven't moved. From memory top one goes via long pipe to electric 'pump' under expansion tank, bottom one goes back to cabin and r/h one goes to coolant bridge.

Speaking to the local Aircon Specialist I use, he said that it's more than likely the gas level, the increased heat is because the air is channeled over what is now a hot matrix (Presumably the heater / drier?).

Car booked in for next available appointment.

Many thanks to all 

Enough Gas for the compressor to spin though   

But not enough to work the air con though 

Yeh, he explained that you may have say 25% refridgerent but that doesn't equate to 25% cooling capacity. 

[Kevin Wood]

I'd fire it up and feel the pipes either side of the compressor first, just in case the problem is elsewhere. If the high side gets warm and the low side gets cold, it's doing something, and you should be able to feel the difference at the vents. Also, run it on "LO" for a while and make sure the pipes to the heater matrix in the driver's footwell stay cold.